1983 NFL Draft broken down by the college programs that produced each pick — first-rounders, conference totals, and the full board.
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College Football
NFL Draft History by college program
1983 NFL Draft broken down by the college programs that produced each pick — first-rounders, conference totals, and the full board.
- Draft picks
- 12,927
- Colleges
- 446
- First-rounders
- 1,427
- Hall of Famers
- 102
- Pro Bowlers
- 1,326
- Drafts covered
- 47
Showing picks from the 1983 draft · reset
Schools that produce the most NFL draft picks
Ranked by total picks within the current filters. Open a program for its full draft board.
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1
USC
Big Ten
11picks
USC team hub
-
2
Washington
Big Ten
11picks
Washington team hub
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3
Clemson
ACC
10picks
Clemson team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–50 of 334 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | John Elway HOF 9× Pro Bowl |
Stanford
ACC
|
QB | IND Baltimore Colts | 234 games · 16 yrs as starter 140 career AV |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson HOF 5× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
SMU
ACC
|
RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 146 games · 10 yrs as starter 92 career AV |
| 1983 | Curt Warner 3× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 100 games · 6 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1983 | Chris Hinton 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
T | DEN Denver Broncos | 177 games · 11 yrs as starter 79 career AV |
| 1983 | Billy Ray Smith |
Arkansas
SEC
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 126 games · 7 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1983 | Jimbo Covert HOF 2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
T | CHI Chicago Bears | 111 games · 7 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1983 | Todd Blackledge |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
QB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 46 games 12 career AV |
| 1983 | Michael Haddix |
Mississippi State
SEC
|
RB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 120 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1983 | Bruce Matthews HOF 7× All-Pro 14× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | TEN Houston Oilers | 296 games · 19 yrs as starter 138 career AV |
| 1983 | Terry Kinard 1× Pro Bowl |
Clemson
ACC
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 121 games · 8 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 1983 | Tim Lewis |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1983 | Tony Hunter |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 47 games · 2 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1983 | James Jones |
Florida
SEC
|
FB | DET Detroit Lions | 135 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Jim Kelly HOF 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
QB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 160 games · 11 yrs as starter 103 career AV |
| 1983 | Tony Eason |
Illinois College
Midwest
|
QB | NE New England Patriots | 90 games · 3 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1983 | Mike Pitts |
Alabama
SEC
|
DT | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 169 games · 7 yrs as starter 53 career AV |
| 1983 | Leonard Smith | McNeese St. | DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 138 games · 8 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Willie Gault |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | CHI Chicago Bears | 170 games · 9 yrs as starter 56 career AV |
| 1983 | Joey Browner 3× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 145 games · 7 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1983 | Gary Anderson 1× Pro Bowl |
Arkansas
SEC
|
RB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 111 games · 4 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Gabe Rivera |
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
NT | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 games 1 career AV |
| 1983 | Gill Byrd 2× Pro Bowl |
San José State
Mountain West
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 149 games · 10 yrs as starter 58 career AV |
| 1983 | Jim Jeffcoat |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
DE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 227 games · 8 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1983 | Ken O'Brien 2× Pro Bowl |
UC Davis
Big Sky
|
QB | NYJ New York Jets | 129 games · 7 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 1983 | Dave Rimington |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
C | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 86 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1983 | Don Mosebar 3× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
C | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 173 games · 11 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1983 | Dan Marino HOF 3× All-Pro 9× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
QB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 242 games · 16 yrs as starter 145 career AV |
| 1983 | Darrell Green HOF 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Lone Star
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 295 games · 15 yrs as starter 103 career AV |
| 1983 | Vernon Maxwell |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
LB | IND Baltimore Colts | 77 games · 3 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1983 | Harvey Salem |
California
ACC
|
T | TEN Houston Oilers | 126 games · 8 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1983 | Mark Cooper |
Miami
ACC
|
G | DEN Denver Broncos | 78 games 10 career AV |
| 1983 | Henry Ellard 2× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Fresno State
Mountain West
|
WR | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 228 games · 14 yrs as starter 97 career AV |
| 1983 | Mike Richardson |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 91 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1983 | Dave Lutz |
Georgia Tech
ACC
|
T | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 187 games · 11 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1983 | Wes Hopkins 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
SMU
ACC
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 137 games · 8 yrs as starter 55 career AV |
| 1983 | Mike Wilcher |
North Carolina
ACC
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 124 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Leonard Marshall 2× Pro Bowl |
LSU
SEC
|
DE | NYG New York Giants | 177 games · 9 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1983 | Steve Korte |
Arkansas
SEC
|
C | NO New Orleans Saints | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1983 | Darryl Talley 2× Pro Bowl |
West Virginia
Big 12
|
LB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 216 games · 12 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 1983 | Rich Strenger |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
T | DET Detroit Lions | 49 games · 1 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1983 | Ron Brown 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
WR | CLE Cleveland Browns | 100 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1983 | Keith Bostic 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 96 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1983 | James Britt |
LSU
SEC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 60 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1983 | Cedric Mack |
Baylor
Big 12
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 140 games · 6 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 1983 | Randy Grimes |
Baylor
Big 12
|
C | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 118 games · 7 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1983 | Jody Schulz |
East Carolina
American
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 44 games 6 career AV |
| 1983 | Darryal Wilson |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | NE New England Patriots | 9 games |
| 1983 | Dave Drechsler |
North Carolina
ACC
|
G | GB Green Bay Packers | 32 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1983 | Roger Craig HOF 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
RB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 165 games · 9 yrs as starter 95 career AV |
| 1983 | Mike Walter |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 149 games · 7 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
Browse by draft class
Every year from 1980 to 2026 — school counts, conference splits, and the full first round.
NFL draft history guide
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
What this page tracks
NFL Draft History by College ranks every program by the NFL players it has produced since 1980. Browse 12,927 picks across 446 schools — first-rounders, Pro Bowl alumni, Hall of Famers, and recent draft classes — then open any school or year for the full board.
By the numbers
- 12,927 drafted players from 446 colleges, 1980–2026.
- 1,427 first-round selections across 47 drafts.
- 1,326 of those picks made at least one Pro Bowl; 102 reached the Hall of Fame.
- Most picks all-time: USC — 11
- Most picks since 2017: Alabama — 95
- Top conference: SEC — 2,760 picks
- Most-drafted first-round position: DB — 181 picks
How to read the board
- Start with the school leaderboard — sort by total picks, first-rounders, Pro Bowls, or the last ten drafts.
- Use the round, conference, and position chips to isolate a pipeline, like SEC defensive backs in Round 1.
- Open a program for its full draft board, or a year for the complete class in pick order.
First round vs. career outcomes
Volume and quality are different signals. A program can lead in raw picks while another turns fewer selections into more Pro Bowlers. The Pro Bowler rate next to each school shows how often its picks became long-term NFL contributors, so read it alongside the Round 1 column rather than instead of it.
Frequently asked questions
Which college has produced the most NFL draft picks?
USC leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 11 NFL draft picks since 1980. Compare every program at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
How far back does FantasyHQ’s NFL draft history go?
The archive covers every NFL draft from 1980 through 2026 — 12,927 picks across 446 college programs. Open a school page or a draft class year for the full pick list.
Can I see first-round NFL draft picks by college?
Yes. Filter the board to Round 1, or sort schools by first-rounders. FantasyHQ lists 1,427 first-round selections since 1980. Start at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
Does the page show NFL career outcomes for drafted players?
Where available, each pick includes Pro Bowls, All-Pro selections, Hall of Fame status, games played, and Approximate Value. The archive currently tracks 1,326 Pro Bowl alumni and 102 Hall of Famers.
How is this different from a fantasy football mock draft?
This page is the real NFL draft pipeline — college programs to NFL clubs — not a fantasy league draft board. For fantasy mock drafts and rankings, use FantasyHQ’s fantasy tools. Draft history lives at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
How often is the draft history page updated?
New draft classes land when the board is published each spring. Career outcomes refresh as seasons complete. This page was last labeled Aug 24, 2026.